Air-heating furnace



April 1, 1930.

c. BECKER ET AL AIR HEATING FURNACE Filed June 13,1928 3 Sheets-Sheet. 1

- 11v VENTOR'S.

Chrisfi an 13 ale/ iar BY FImJiHZMeHJeL 1 m m ATTORNEY '5 Sheets-Sheef 2 c. BECKER ET AL AIR EATING FURNACE Filed June 13. 1928 April 1, 1930.

IAZVENTORS: .Becliea: J

A TTORNEY April 1, 1930. K ET AL I AIR HEATING\,FURNACE Filed June 15, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Q B Y 13ml: may eJ A fiORNE Y Patented Apr. 1, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE CHRISTIAN BECKER, OF WALKER TOWNSHIP, KENT COUNTY, AND FRANK .KLEIN- V HEKSEL, OF FLINT, MICHIGAN AIR-HEATING IrUaNAcE Application filed June 13,

; plying air to the furnace to be heated thereby,

such means comprising chambers for conveylng air either by-gravlty n the usual manner or by forced feed, and arranged and cmbined compactly and controlled in an improved manner. 7

Second, to provide an improved valve structure for controlling the flow of air in a warm air furnace casing.

Third, to provide such means that do not impede the ordinary gravity operation of the furnace.

Objects pertaining to details and economies of our invention will definitely appear from the description to follow. A structure which is a preferred embodiment of our invention is illustrated 1n the accompanying drawings, in whlch:

. Fig. 1 is a side perspective view of an air heating furnace and its casings, the outer casing being partially broken away.

Fig. 2 is anelevation view thereof, the casings being shown in central vertical section taken on line 22 of Fig. 3. V

Fig. 3 is a rear elevational view of parts of the structure, such casings being shown in central vertical section taken on line 3 -3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view (en larged) of a valve and adjacent parts taken on line 33 of Fi 2.

Fig. 5 is a view slmilar to Fig. 2, the casings being shown in central vertical section and means being shown for controlling the humidity of the air and consequently the temperature thereof.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 but show in air cooling means. 7 r

ig. 7 is a rear elevational view showing a modified construction.

In said drawings, the heating element .of the furnace 1 of ordinary formhas the usual fuel door 2 and smoke pipe 3. An inner or main casing 5 like a usual furnace casing havingjan openbottom spaced above the floor surrounds this furnace at its sides and top 1928. Serial No. 2s5,o2s.

in the usual manner being spaced outwardly therefrom to provide the usual air heating chamber 6 from which the hot air discharge pipes 7 lead to the rooms or parts of the building to be warmed.

A secondor outer or base casing 8 extending horizontally about the casing 5 has an outer side wall 9 spaced from the casing 5 and a top wall 10 having cold air inlet ports 11 therethrough. To these are connected the usual cold air pipes 110, as shownin Fig. 3, leading preferably from cold air registers in the rooms being heated. Pipes 110 may be omitted when cold air is supplied from the basement.

A third or intermediate casing 12 mslde the second casing 8 and below the first casing 5 and ventin upwardly into its open bottom 13 has a side wall 14, a top wall 15 joining the inner'casing 5 and a bottom wall 16 provided 'with an air intake 17 therethrough directly beneath and of the same size as the bottom opening 13 of the casing 5.

A cold air chute 18 having a screened air inlet 19 from the interior of the second or outer ca'sing8 conveys air therefrom into and through the third casing 12 and thence into the interior of the casing 5 or air heating chamber 6 through its open bottom 13. The casing 12 forms an annular chamber open on its inner side beneath the bottom of casing 5.

' 'Means for forcing .air in this direction through chute 18, such as the electrically driven fan or blower 20, is located within this chute 18.

"ordinary draft of the furnace (and in the direction of the arrows A, see Fig. 3) through the interior of the outer casing 8, through the intake 17 and upwardly past the open inner side of the intermediate casing 12, and

into the open bottom 13 of the inner casing 5, the air thus passing through the interior of the outer casing 8 and past'the' open inner:

side of the intermediate casing 12 into the bottom of the main casing 5.

When, however, the fan or blower is in operation, the cold air is forced thereby in the direction of the arrow B from the chamber 8 through and across the chamber 12, passing through the air inlet 19 therebetween and into the air heating chamber 6.

The driven air under pressure is retained within the furnace by a check valve structure located in the base of the furnace one at each side. The top of the casing 12 is polygonal in form with an opening therethrough for the air chute 18 at the back and spaced apart at the front to accommodate the ashpit door and opening. Each valve is made up of three portions 22 covered by canvas with an intermediate flexible connection 221. The separate connections for each side are provided with cross bar suppo'rts'24 and the upper edge is secured by rivets or other suitable means 25 to the peripheral edgeof the top 15 of thesaid auxiliary casing 12. The lower edge 23 is left flexible all around the sides and projects below the lower edge of the vertical peripheral wall 14 and beneath the lower surface of the bottom wall 16. The cross bar 24 extends above the casing 12 and is provided with a counterweight 26 which makes the actuation by the air pressure very prompt and effective.

When the fan is turned on and air pres-.

sure is created within the furnace, it tends to circulate down and out past the bottom 16 of the auxiliary casing 12, and-the air strikes the lower flexible apron portions of the check 'valve' swinging the same outward so that the flexible part contacts with the outer wall 9 of the outer casing noiselessly and remains in that position so long as the pressure is maintained.

When the fan is stopped the weight of the check valves causes them to drop down to the vertical position as seen in Figs. 1, 3 and 4. When in this position if the heater is still operating it will cause a circulation of air in precisely the same manner as in the usual construction of furnace. It is only when the fan is put into operation that the check valve means closes and the pressure is delivered up through the heating chamber 6 out through the warm air pipes 7. V

In Fig. 5 is shown a modified construction having means for controlling the humidity 1; of theair passing out of the discharge pipes 7, and in consequence of such humidity control, also controlling or aflecting the temperature of the air. I

Such means as shown comprises: A vessel 30 supplied with water dripping from the lower end of a pipe 31 into which vessel the upper end of a foraminous sheet 32 is im-' mersed. This sheet forms a descending wick extending across the air inlet 19 which is screened as shown at 33,, said sheet. lying againstthe outer side of this screen. It will be seen that the fan 20? draws air through this sheet and said screened inlet and forces the air thus, humidified into the heating chamber 6.

If the furnace is not in operation, the air passing out of the discharge pipes 7 wiil be cooled by the temperature of the Water supplied by the foraminous sheet. A vessel 34 receives excess water from the sheet and vessel 30 which may be vented through the waste pipe 341.

In the modified construction illustrated in Fig. 6 an air cooling element in the form of a block of ice 35 is shown in a vessel 30, having a drain pipe 37; and in the modified construction illustrated in Fig.7, pipes 36 are shown through-which a cooling liquid may be circulated by suitable means (not shown) to cool the air passing out of the pipes 7.

Each valve 22 is desirably made of a foraminous fabric so that, although it serves as a valve, a certain amount of air will nevertheless pass therethrough and be cleaned r screened thereby.

Dust and dirt particles are removed from the air passing through the cold air chute 18 by screens 33 (see Fig. 7). These screens are removable for cleaning and comprise a plurality of copper fabric or metallic mesh sheets laid'side to side and coated with an adhesive oleaginous substance to which adhere the dust particles carried by the air passing through these sheets.

The air could be otherwise washed before it is introduced for heating. The structure is capable of considerable modification without departing from our invention.

The intermediate casing, while serving a useful purpose is not indispensable. The valves will operate effectively in whatever way supported.

The arrangement for delivering the returning cold air to the fan and putting it under pressure is a preferred form. It is clear that whatever means might be provided for introducing the' air under pressure into the heating chamber, the arrangement of check valves would close and permit the operation of the furnace under air pressure.

When the air pressure is discontinued the valves drop down and the furnace operates in the usual way by the draft and circulation created by heated air in the heating chamber. Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent-,is:

1. An air heater of the character described having a heating element, an open-bottom casing surrounding the same forming an air heating chamber provided with warm air discharge pipe means, a base casing extending horizontally about the first casing and forming a cold air chamber with cold air inlet means thereto, an intermediate casing within the base casing venting into the bottom of the heating chamber having a vertical outside wall, a top wall for said intermediate casing joining with said main casing, a bottom wall beneath said intermediate chamber provided with an air intake therethrough from said cold air chamber to the heating chamber, a normally open flexible valve means suspended in contact with the outer wall of the said intermediate casing and projecting beneath said outside wall and the flexible lower edge adapted to close against the outer wall of the base casing to shunt off the cold air chamber from the heating chamber, an air chute, and fan means for forcing air from said cold air chamber into said heating chamber and thus closing the said valve means by air pressure therein to compel forced circulation through the heating chamber. 5 a

2. An air heater of the character described having a heating element, an open-bottom casing surrounding'the same forming an air heating chamber provided with warm air discharge pipe means, a base casing extending horizontally about the first casing and forming a cold air chamber with cold air inlet means thereto, an intermediate casing within the base casing venting into the bottom of the heating chamber having a vertical outside wall, a top wall for said intermediate casing joining withsaid main casing, a bottom wall beneath said intermediate chamber provided with an air intake therethrough fromsaid coldairchamber totheheatingchamher, a normally open flexible valve means suspended in contact with the outer wall of the said intermediate casing and projecting beneath said outside wall and the flexible lower edge adapted to close against the outer wall of the base casing to shutoff the cold air chamber from the heating chamber, an air chute,and means for forcing air from said cold air chamber into said heating chamber and thus closing the said valve means by air pressure therein to compel forced circulation through the heating chamber.

3. An air heater of the character described having a heating element, an open-bottom casing surrounding the same forming an air heating chamber provided with warm air discharge pipe means, a base casing extending horizontally about the first casing and forming a cold air chamber with cold air inlet means thereto, an intermediate casing within the base casing venting into the bottom of the heating chamber having a vertical outside wall, a top wall for said intermediate casing joining with-said main casing, anormally open flexible valve means suspended in/ contact )with the outer wall of the said intermediate casing and projecting beneath said outside I wall and .the flexible lower edge adapted to close against the outerwall of the base casing to shut off the cold air chamber from the heating chamber, an air chute, and means for forcing air from said cold air chamber into saidheating chamber and thus closing the said valve means by air pressure therein to compel forced circulation through the heating chamber.

4. An air heater of the character described having a heatiug'element, an open-bottom casing surrounding the same forming an air heating chamber provided with warm air discharge pipe'means, a base casing extending horizontally about the first casing and forming a cold air chamber with cold air inlet means thereto, an intermediate casing within a the base casing venting into the bottom of the heating chamber having a vertical outside wall, a top wall for said intermediate casing joining with said main casing, 9. normally open flexible valve means suspended in contact with the outer wall of the said intermediate casing and projecting beneath said outside wall and the flexible lower edge adapted to close against the onter wall of the base casing to shut off the cold air chamber from the heating chamber, and means-for forcing air into said heating chamber and thus closing the said valve means by air pressure therein to compel forced circulation through the heating chamber.

I 5. An air heater of the character described having a heating element, an open-bottom casing surrounding the same forming an air heating chamber provided with warm air discharge pipe means, a base casing extending horizontally about the first casing-and forming a cold air chamber with cold. air inlet means thereto, an intermediate casing within the base casing venting into the bottom of the heating chamber having a vertical outside. wall, a top wall for said intermediate casing joining with said main casing, a normally open valve means suspended in contact with the outer wall of the said intermediate casing and projecting beneath said outside wall and adapted to close against the outer wall of the base casing to shut off the cold air chamber from the heating chamber, and means for forcing air into said heating chamber and thus closing the said valve means by air pressure therein to compel forced circulation through the heating chamber.

6. Anair heater of the character described having a heating element, an open-bottom casing surrounding the same forming an, air heating chamber provided with warm air discharge pipe means, a base casing extending horizontally about the first casing and forming a cold air chamber with cold air inlet means thereto, a normally opened flexible valve means disposed between the said cold air chamber and heating chamber to permit the direct gravity action of the furnace, an air chute and means for forcing air from said cold air chamber into said heating chamair pressure therein to compel forced circulation through the heating chamber.

7. An air heater of the character described having a heating element, an open-bottom casing surrounding the same forming an air heating chamber provided with warm air discharge pipe means, a base casing extending horizontally about the first casing and for1ning a cold air chamber with cold air inlet means thereto, a normally opened flexible valve means disposed between the said cold air chamber and heating chamber to permit the direct gravity action of the furnace, and

means for forcing air into said heating chamber and thus closing the said valve means by air pressure therein to compel forced circulation through the heating chamber.

8. An air heater of the class described having a heating element, a casing sun-minding said heating element forming a heating chamber, a cold air chamber for delivering cold air to the heating chamber by gravity, pressure means for delivering cold air to the heating chamber and automatic valve means for cutting off the cold air chamber on the introduction of the pressure.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands May. 1928.

CHRISTIAN BECKER.

FRANK KLEIN HEKSEL. 

